Be My Forever
by TheSecretDreamer
Summary: Jellal has finally accepted the fact that he has atoned enough for his sins. What's left is taking absolute control of his own future. He realized that changing the past is beyond his powers but he certainly has enough to make a difference in the future. His future and those around him.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Please forgive any mistakes I may make and **** tell me what you think by leaving a review. I hope you can all help me improve my writing! Jerza forever!**

**Disclaimer: I am not, and will never be, named Hiro Mashima. He is the genius behind Fairy Tail.**

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"Hey baby girl!" A tall mage wearing a white button-up shirt with loose dark pants tucked in black boots greeted at the door. "Ready?"

"J-just a minute!" Came the hurried reply from another room followed by a loud crash.

The man at door was about to run towards the direction of the crash but stopped when the recognizable scolding by a certain Exceed rang in the air. "Wendy! I told you to be careful! Hmpf." Of course, that famous huff can be heard at the end.

"S-sorry Carla! It slipped! I-I'll clean it up when we get back. Let's go!" came the apologetic mumbling reply of Wendy. The man at the door couldn't help but chuckle to himself. His day will never be complete without this familiar morning scenario at Wendy and Carla's apartment in Fairy Hills.

"Nii-san! Goodmorning!" exclaimed Wendy while leaping into the arms of the older mage to give him a quick hug. "Now, we're ready! Oh, but where's Erza-san?"

"You sure everything's alright?" the man shot the little girl an inquisitive look.

"Wendy dropped her plate. Again." It was Carla who replied for the Sky Mage who is now blushing with embarrassment.

"Oh." It was the only response the male can give then remembering about Wendy's earlier inquiry, he added, "Erza went ahead to the guild. Master wanted to see her first. We should go there soon as well." He made a mental note to himself that they need to focus on the girl's motor coordination on their next training session as he backed out to the hallway.

All three of them walked in comfortable silence to the guild until it was broken by the younger mage. "Jellal-nii, can we go on a mission soon, please?"

The man named Jellal furrowed his brow thinking it weird that after spending half a year with Fairy Tail, Wendy would suddenly suggest taking a job because she has always been the kind to just tag along with everyone else but was too timid to take initiative. Jellal is aware of that fact as he had personally made sure to take Wendy under his wing when he joined. He has always had a special connection with the girl given her past with Mystogan who is pretty much him, physically that is. In truth, Wendy and Jellal are often mistaken to be siblings so they might as well play those parts effectively by treating each other as such. Plus he feels like he owes her more than his life since she was the one who healed him from his comatose state that paved the way for his happily ever after. If not for her, he would never get his second chance with Erza. Ever since the Magic Council was destroyed, the weight of rebuilding it fell on the shoulders of Doranbolt. It was a long and arduous effort but with the joint help provided by Fairy Tail, Crime Sorciere and Oracion Seis, another new Magic Council was formed. Yajima-san was made council head despite the old man's protestations and for the new council's first decree, Jellal along with Meredy and Oracion Seis were pardoned as a result of their good deeds. Jellal was even offered his Wizard Saint title back and reinstated as a council member but he refused the latter much to the annoyance of Yajima-san who weren't given the chance to say no. Instead, he opted to join Fairy Tail just like Meredy and Cobra to finally allow himself to be truly happy and free. He and Erza have a lot of making up to do for their lost time which is 15 years by now. Crime Sorciere then became an official team of Fairy Tail, which consisted of him, Meredy, Cobra, Wendy and Carla. They still continue defeating dark guilds, which is now allowable by the newest Magic Council after Tartarus owned up to the terrible deed of blowing up the previous council. But of course, conflicts between official guilds are still not tolerated.

"T-That's o-okay if you don't want t-to, nii-san!" Wendy blurted, panic consuming her rapidly. Jellal had been quiet for a long time now, which she took as "no", feeling guilty for being too imposing when reality she isn't.

This seemed to get Jellal's thoughts snap back to Earth Land. He gave Wendy a big smile and ruffled her blue hair while saying, "I'll agree... but only if you're still willing to keep our little secret."

By then, they have reached the guild doors and with a quick nod, Wendy ran inside looking for Romeo.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail even if I win in the lottery.**

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Following Wendy and Carla inside the guild hall, Jellal quickly swooped his eyes across the room until he saw the redhead perched on a barstool, eating a hearty amount of strawberry cake for breakfast. He gave Erza a quick kiss on the forehead before settling down beside the scarlet beauty.

Their relationship started secretly after the Grand Magic Games. They both know that staying away from each other is futile so they decided to just give in to what their hearts dictate. However, it took a lot of convincing and so much more threatening from Ultear and Meredy for Jellal to finally give in. It was awkward at first but then it eventually became better. From sneaking out to isolated places, to discreet dates and finally, to being just a normal couple. By the time they were ready to admit their relationship to the guild, everyone just scoffed and informed them that they knew since the first time Jellal sneaked into Fairy Hills. In the relative short span of their dating, they have come a long way from their expectations but they know that this is just the beginning and neither of them are complaining. They are practically living at each other's houses that even the two of them can't tell where they will be spending the night. It is especially hard for their teammates who had to run in opposite ends of the city when looking for one of them but seeing their happiness, everyone in the guild all think it's worth it. Erza and Jellal deserve to be happy.

"Missed each other already, Jelly boy?" Cobra smirked. Kinana, who was manning the bar, threw a towel at Cobra's face whilst shooting a threatening glare towards her own boyfriend. "What? I'm just say-" His argument was cut short when this time, it was a mug that collided with the poison slayer's face courtesy of the same barmaid.

All Jellal could do was shake his head and thought to himself. _Seriously, stop ruining my plans!_ He knew full well that Cobra could hear his thoughts. Cobra just gave him a mocking wink before standing up and heading towards Gajeel and Natsu, looking for a fight.

"So, what did the Master want?" Jellal asked Erza grabbing himself a fork to get a bite from her cake.

Erza slapped his hand away, before answering casually, "Oh, nothing much. Just an update on Team Natsu's last mission." Jellal gave back the fork defeatedly to Kinana because he knows that no matter how much Erza loves him, their relationship is still far from the kind wherein she would willingly share her precious strawberry cake. "What are you up to today?" Erza continued their small talk.

"Well, Wendy wanted to go on a job." Jellal explained but saw Erza's eyes has gotten a little bit bigger so he added, "I know, weird, right?" After a few seconds, he felt a tug on his shirt. Both he and Erza looked around.

"Nii-san, this one." Wendy looked up with big hopeful eyes while handing the poster to him. He couldn't help but groan followed by his head slamming a little bit too hard on the countertop.

"Good luck! Team Natsu already did this kind of request with Wendy so it's just fitting you do it too." Erza said while chuckling as soon as she saw the job request over Jellal's shoulder. Jellal was very tempted to glare at Erza's direction but just like the rest of the guild, he knew better than that. He has long proven that being Erza's boyfriend does not make him immune to her cruel temper, but it actually makes him an easier target. It took him all his willpower to lift himself up from his slump and call on the rest of Team Crime Sorciere. In 5 minutes, they are saying their goodbyes to everybody.

"Do you want us to come watch too?" Erza can't help but tease. 3 people and and Exceed dejectedly rolled their eyes at her except for Wendy who seemed to be really excited then they were off.

On the way to the train station, Jellal stopped walking. He looked like he forgot something so he went back to the direction of the guildhall after a quick word to his teammates, "Hey guys, go on without me. I'll catch up to you." With an approving glance, Cobra raised his hand above his head, the others just shrugged and went on their way.

Erza was just about to pry away Natsu and Gray's faces away from each other when the guild door opened with a bang. A breathless Jellal emerged which caused Titania to momentarily forget about the two bantering idiots in front of her. Jellal went to her and hurriedly told her, "I'll be back tomorrow morning, clear your schedule and make sure you're ready to leave by then." With a quick peck on the lips, he was gone again. She was not even able to react as she watched his silhouette fade in the distance, the guild doors were left open in his wake. She just stood there, dumbly touching her lips that Jellal kissed. She was too shocked to even contemplate what his words meant.

Unbeknownst to Erza, everybody in the guild shared a knowing look with each other.


	3. Chapter 3

To say that the play was a success is an understatement. For some reason, the theatre was packed and everybody liked- no, loved- Team Crime Sorciere's performance. Rabian kept saying thank you over and over again which resulted in Cobra having the urge to knock him out before anybody could stop him. It wasn't the method he had in mind but it definitely is the most effective. After making sure that the knocked out theatre owner was comfortable in a bed, the five of them decided to retire for the night. They stayed at a nearby inn and all of them were off to dreamland as soon as their heads hit the pillows. They never thought that acting would wear them out this bad, much worse than a regular training session. They all went to sleep with newfound respect to all the thespians in the world.

Jellal was up by the break of dawn because his nerves insisted on keeping him alert and awake. A million thoughts raced through his mind, which made him dread the moment he'll be seeing Erza again. He knew it's not yet too late to back out but a part of him knew that there wouldn't be as perfect time as tomorrow. As his internal battle raged on, Cobra shot up from his own bed and scowled at him. _What? It's not like I can turn my mind off just like how you wouldn't be able to turn off your keen hearing._ Jellal began defensively in his mind. He knew the reason why Cobra was aroused from his deep slumber was because of his boisterous thoughts. Neither of them wanted this so they had to deal with it. Giving up after five impossibly long minutes, Cobra decided to wake up the rest of their team.

Just when they were about to leave, Rabian burst through the front doors. He had such a big smile plastered across his face that they all thought that the first thing that would come out of his mouth couldn't be good.

"You guys must stay to do an encore performance!" Rabian proposed to the group. As the expected, they were right.

"As much as we want to, Rabian-san, we cannot. I apologize but we already have other plans for today. We must go back to Magnolia." Jellal spoke up, taking responsibility.

"I'll double the pay! And put in a lot of sweets. I remember how Wendy-chan loves those." Rabian replied with his eyes sparkling, hoping to sway the mages.

"U-uh… Rabian-san, that is a most generous offer but Jellal-nii is right. We already have other plans. M-maybe next t-time?" Wendy was the one who answered, rather coyly. She felt four pairs of daggers simultaneously thrown her way when she saw her teammates' glares as soon as they heard her last statement. They would never sign up for an acting stint ever again. Once was enough.

"Very well." Disappointment was clearly painted across the man's forehead. "I shall expect you all next time." With that, the theatre owner walked out of the lobby of the hotel.

"Let's go! We wouldn't want to keep Erza waiting, would we?" Carla asked as she scanned the faces around her.

A knowing smile appeared on Meredy's face before agreeing with Carla, "Oh no, we don't!" Team Crime Sorciere then made their way to the train departing for Magnolia.

They were almost got dragged to the next station because Jellal refused to leave his seat. His nerves are starting to get the best of him and the remaining four had to resort to magic just so they could get Jellal out of the train. It was quite a struggle since Jellal is a Wizard Saint, after all. Meredy knew that if Ultear were there with them, it would be easier to tame Jellal. She misses her foster mom so much more than she let on. When Jellal's butt finally let go of the seat, the train has already started moving. In the ensuing panic, all five mages tumbled into a dog pile on the platform. They may be successful in getting Jellal off the train, but their ordeal is far from over, as they somehow have to haul Jelly boy's ass to the guild.

As soon as the guildhall came into view, Jellal jumped to his feet and brushed the earth off his clothes. _He just had to look cool for Erza. How pretentious!_ Carla thought as she watched Jellal. This particular thought earned a good deal of sniggering from Cobra. Since then, their walk back to the guild had been uneventful except for the occasional chortles coming from Cobra as he listened to Jellal's thoughts on purpose.

Right before they entered though, he put a reassuring hand on Jellal's shoulder and whispered with a serious expression, "Good luck, man!" The eyes of the rest of his teammates mirrored the message, without having to say anything. As Jellal's eyes fell back to the other male, the corners of Cobra's mouth twisted up before saying, "Now, go get you some!"

When Jellal entered the guildhall, his eyes, as if by instinct, located his Scarlet. The moment their eyes met, she gave him the loveliest smile he has ever seen. His heart dropped to the floor and was instantly frozen.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed! I will try my best to update as fast as I can. Please continue supporting me! :)  
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**Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Fairy Tail.**

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Jellal couldn't help but wonder how Erza still has that power to reduce him into a puddle of Jelly **(A/N: I couldn't help myself with the pun! Lol)**, even after more than six months of dating. It's true what they say, Titania's beauty knows no bounds, it easily pierced through the walls he put up in his heart. It's like he will never get used to seeing her beauty over and over again. Then the vision of seeing a vibrant shade of scarlet in the morning crossed his mind. The thought of spending the rest of his life with his only love is what made Jellal's legs to start functioning again. He walked slowly towards her, lost in the trance caused by those two chocolate orbs.

"Hey," Jellal managed to whisper awkwardly. For Erza, on the other hand, the sexy tone sent a shiver down her spine.

"Hey to you, too" She gently teased, complete with a warm smile. "So, are you ready to take me off into the sunset?" A snigger immediately followed.

Jellal shook his head in amused disbelief. "If you so wish, milady." He flashed her a big grin before holding up a white strip of cloth. "But first, put this on."

The pleasant expression on Erza's face was replaced by a scowl upon seeing the cloth. "No." All of her conviction poured out into a single word. When Jellal was about to open his mouth to explain, Erza cut him off. "You know I don't like it when I don't know things."

Jellal met Erza's stone cold eyes with his own pair of puppy ones. "Trust me on this." Trying to sound convincing. He can see her eyes soften a little bit with his request. "Please." He pleaded once again, which did the trick.

With an exasperated sigh, Erza closed her eyes, and agreed. "Fine. Just this once." Putting emphasis on the last word.

_Yeah, that's all I will ever need. Hopefully._ Jellal thought before replying, "I promise." He then proceeded to move behind the requip mage tying the cloth over her eyes as gently as he could. He was careful not to pull any of her hair nor wrap it too tight. A single irritation can turn the events for the worst.

"Erza! How many fingers am I holding up?" Natsu excitedly asked running in front of his teammate while holding up three fingers in front of Erza's now-covered eyes. Jellal felt the woman's shoulders stiffen and a vein popped out of her forehead. Erza hated moments like this, not knowing makes her feel weak and helpless. How dare he capitalize on her rare moment of weakness? Everyone knows that Erza is someone who likes to be on top of things. Before Erza can lash out to the idiot in front of her, she heard a loud thud then a very dangerous hiss that commanded, "Stay." With a satisfied leer, she turned around and gave her savior a kiss on wherever it lands but luckily, it ended right on his lips.

"Thank you, Jellal." She acknowledged, proud that her lover isn't afraid anymore to pack a punch to their guild mates when prompted. Yep, he's a true blue Fairy Tail mage now.

The sounds of laughter rang in the guild. Erza can faintly hear Gray saying, "Oi, oi! Seriously, flame brain, if I were Jellal, I would've frozen your ass. Twice." Followed by, "Aye!" coming from Happy. Before she knew it, she felt two strong arms scoop her up bridal style. The sudden gesture made Erza's face blend in with the color her hair.

"We'll be back tonight. See you guys!" Jellal addressed the whole guild that is now erupting with cheers and catcalls. Erza couldn't do anything but burrow her head as close to Jellal's chest as possible to hide her shame. She has no clue on what is happening so she can't react properly. Then in an instant, a sudden wave of dizziness filled her whole being when she heard him mutter, "Meteor", under his breath.

Every mage present in the guild that saw Jellal and Erza's departure still have big smiles painted across their faces as they engaged in their own conversations but still on the same topic. Wendy ran to the guild door and whispered, "Nii-san! Good luck!" while staring at the quickly fading figure in the distance. She waited until she can see no more before she ran back to the girls clumped around Mirajane and Kinana at the bar to join their animated chattering and planning.

Erza has lost track of how long she's been gripping Jellal's neck for. She feels like if this goes on forever, her poor boyfriend may lose his head. It's not like she can just let go now, it's the first time she's experienced Meteor first hand, after all. She's seen it at work, sure, but to be caught in it, she didn't realize it would be this crazy, like roller coaster crazy. Erza Scarlet does not do well with roller coasters which, just like all the other terrors in her life, originates from her fear of not being able to take control and do something. She didn't want to feel powerless and helpless anymore just like when she was little and a slave at the Tower. She was snapped out of her reverie when Jellal suddenly stopped and settled her down to a wooden seat that feels unstable underneath her. _A boat?_

"No, don't take it off." Jellal held Erza's hand midair when he noticed what she was about to do. "We'll be there really soon." He gave both her hands reassuring squeezes and she nodded her reply.

Jellal settled himself across her and started to row the boat towards their last destination. His heartbeat is starting to gain momentum with each row he does. He wanted to make small talk but with the lump in his throat combined with the light-headedness caused by his 100km/hr heartbeat and his rowing, he couldn't because everything is just too much for him to handle. He is a respected mage with a vast array of magic but at the end of the day, he is still a man. And men cannot, no matter how hard they try, multitask. Doing two or more things at a time is simply unfathomable for the macho half of the population. He stared at Erza and judging by her blank expression, she didn't mind the comfortable silence between them. He decided to just leave things as it is for the time being. Unknown to him though, Erza was still trying to calm down her nerves and to ease the dizziness she's feeling behind her blindfolded eyes. Concentrating with the task at hand, she wasn't bothered by the silence in the slightest bit. Several more minutes passed with just the sound of the water splashing against the boat when they reached the dock, Erza noticed a lot of rough movements that shook the boat.

"We're here." Jellal broke the stillness of the air. She turned her body towards his voice then felt a pair of hands gradually guide her as she stood up and step onto steady ground. "Just a few more steps." He whispered to her ear as he urged her to move her legs, putting her complete trust on the man she loved. He hugged her closer to his body to make her stop moving. "Ready?" Without waiting for a reply, he loosened the blindfold.

It took a few seconds before Erza could readjust her vision after being subjected to utter darkness for who knows how long. When she was finally able to clearly see and register the sight before her, she gasped.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter is longer than usual because I feel that moments like these should not be rushed. (And of course, because I just watched the newest FT episode. Yay!) Again, thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed! You guys are awesome :) Please tell me how I did in this chapter at the bottom of the page. THANK YOU, MINNA!**

**Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima is the genius behind Fairy Tail.**

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The Tower of Heaven, stripped of its former glory, lay in front the mighty Titania. As if it was taunting her, making her remember the painful times when she had shed a lifetime's worth of tears. Jellal was watching Erza's face the whole time ever since he removed the blindfold. Her lovely face registered confusion then shock then anger then nostalgia and lastly, as she turned around to face him squarely, her expression went back to confusion. At first she was confused as to where exactly they were. Now, she's confused as to why they are at the place where both of their nightmares began.

"Jellal… I don't understand."

"I know you never went back to this place after… that night…" He hesitated as he recounted the grim memories that have haunted him in the past seven years when one of his friends died by his hand. "But I did. A lot of times. When news broke out about Tenroujima's disappearance, I was lost. I was desperate because I thought I would never see you again. I felt like I was sleepwalking, aimlessly wandering Earth Land trying to look for meaning in my godforsaken life. Two years after you and your friends disappeared, an idea hit me. I decided to go back to my little piece of paradise."

"What are you talking about? This place has been nothing but hell! People died here. Didn't yo-"

He cut her off with a tight hug before continuing. "Hey, hear me out first, please. It's true that this place was hell. I was enslaved in here, brainwashed, committed the most sinful of acts to countless of people, to Simon… and to you. If it were just me, I would never ever go back to his hellhole but it wasn't just me. No, because during my darkest times, you were always there. I was so consumed by guilt and grief that I didn't realize that this place also gave me my freedom. I didn't realize it until five years ago, at least. I remembered the time when I met you and all the fond memories we've shared with each other… and with Grandpa Rob, Simon, Wally, Sho and Milliana. That is precisely why this place was my little piece of paradise. In a way, being locked up in here became a blessing in disguise because I was given the greatest privilege of knowing you - the frightened, scarlet haired little girl I so badly wanted to protect. Your smile gave me hope, that one day we would all be free and look where we are right now. We found each other again and we found the best nakama. If I were to die right now, I would be the happiest man who ever lived. Honestly, there is only one more thing I could ever ask for… Before that though, I'm wondering if you would be so kind as to accompany me down memory lane? Of course, it'll be just the pleasant ones."

Erza has been listening intently to Jellal's little monologue and that made her reconsider his request. With a little smile she replied, "Please lead the way. And don't you dare let go of my hand."

Jellal intertwined his hand with hers then he started walking down the beach. She clung on to his arm for comfort. This place still gives her the creeps even after all the years that passed. For her, it feels like a year though after being trapped in suspended animation. They reached the shore and she observed Jellal stoop down to retrieve something from the sand. He looked up to her sporting a huge grin on his handsome face. He still looks like the 11-year-old boy she used admire so much despite being 27. "Remember this?" He asked showing her the white shell on his palm.

A bigger smile appeared on the requip mage's face as she recalled their more carefree moments. "I'll definitely find the prettiest shell!" She claimed letting go of his hand while running off in search of her treasure. When they were younger, the guards would sometimes allow them to go to the beach when their cell is under routine search to bust any potential plans of escaping. It was then that their game of shell collecting started. Grandpa Rob was giving them a lesson on different kinds of stuff you can find on the beach and Erza was particularly interested in shells because of their colourful appearance. As they can't bring all the shells they found back to the cell, Jellal suggested that they should all look for the prettiest shell they can find and bring it to Grandpa Rob who will decide who among them got the prettiest. Erza would always be the winner thanks to her delicate eye for beauty so her shell would always be brought in. Those shells eventually ended up on a string around their wrists to symbolize their friendship. Sho also said that the bracelets are so much better to look at than their chains. By the time the couple reached a cluster of rocks that ended the beach, they held their fists outward and at the count of 3, opened their hands at the same time.

With a defeated pout, Jellal chucked his shell back to the sea. Just like before, Erza still ended up as the winner. He's glad that some things don't change. When he turned his gaze back to his companion, he saw her running ahead towards the rocks. He was surprised that she remembers more than he expected. He thought the hidden trail connecting the beach to the field would be lost in the midst of her happier memories in Fairy Tail but clearly he was wrong. She even remembered that they used to race to the other side, all of them wanting to be the first one to appreciate the serenity of the vast field plus the last one will receive a 'punishment'. He started going after her screaming, "Oi, that's unfair! Wait for me!"

Using Meteor, Jellal could easily catch up and even overtake Erza but since this is nothing but a mere child's play, he decided not to. Besides, with magic, it wouldn't count as a win because that would certainly count as cheating. He recalled the times when he would slow down on purpose so the frail girl at the rear of the pack can catch up and even overtake him. He would never forget that once she realized that she can't see him in front of her anymore, she would turn around and grab his hand so they can get to the field at the same time. He wanted to make her feel better about herself but she wanted nothing more than simply being together. By the time he left the rocky trail, he saw her standing with her hands over her mouth looking at the field that's full of childhood memories.

"Dear Mavis! I-it's beautiful!" Erza's voice was full of awe at the colourful expanse before her. Flowers of every kind and color bloom in a nice assortment. "How did this happen?"

Jellal closed the distance between them by hugging her tightly from behind, resting his head on top of hers. "Remember I told you I had an idea two years after you were gone? Well, I went back to this place whenever I missed you so badly that I thought of giving up. I was dying to cling on to the only place I have left of you so I started bringing flowers with me to plant in this field. After all, I promised you that I would show you other kinds flowers when we get out, didn't I?"

"Right. When you saw me moping over the fact that only dandelions grew on this soil. You promised to show me other kinds of beautiful flowers when we gain our freedom to cheer me up. You told me that dandelions represent survival and that I shouldn't be sad if there's only that around because just like us, they are strong. People think they are pests but they persevere in any condition and can grow anywhere. You said I'm your dandelion, strong and free." Erza recalled her warm memories with Jellal, a lone tear escaping down her right eye.

"And was I wrong?" Jellal teased to lighten up the mood. "Honestly, I only planted the plants here and there and let nature run its course. I'm glad it blossomed everywhere. Like the island is celebrating its freedom from the reins of darkness." They stayed like that for a short while, quietly admiring the beauty of the pasture's vibrant colours. "Come, we still have more places to visit." Erza followed him but she stole another glance at the field in the hopes that this new image can replace the one she had as a child.

Both of them went inside the Tower, or at least what was left of it after the Etherion explosion, with their hands still locked together. The Tower is now barely recognizable after everything that happened but they still went to explore different places guessing which part it used to be. All the while remembering more random but memorable moments spent with good company: Grandpa Rob's wisdom, Sho's playfulness, Wally's out-of-this-world ideas, Milliana's undying love for cats and Simon's calm exterior. They were a happy family even if none of them are biologically related.

Finally, Jellal pulled her in the middle of the rubble and looked at her eyes intently. "Do you know which one is my most cherished memory in here?" He asked, not really looking for an answer so he just continued. "It was the time when I told you I loved you for the first time. When you were about to be fused with the R-System. Even though I said it in the past tense, my whole being knows that I never stopped loving you. Not once in our 15 years of separation. My confession may not be the most ideal but a burden was lifted off my chest when I decisively admitted to myself my real feelings for you. It was a turning point in my life. It made me break through Zeref's... no, Ultear's control." She blushed at the sudden revelation but Jellal didn't give her the time to react when he started running back to the field, dragging her behind.

They went to the corner of the meadow that she failed to notice before. He stopped and faced her again but her attention was held by the two mounds of earth behind Jellal. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to make out the markings on the wooden board in front of each mound. One read, 'Grandpa Rob – loving guide' and the other, 'Simon – cherished friend'.

Erza found herself on the ground, crying in Jellal's arms. She was crying not because of sorrow but of happiness. She meant to come back and memorialize them in the very place where they lost their lives but she wasn't able to because of guild matters and her apparent 7 years of absence. Seeing the makeshift gravestones really made her beyond blissful, the massive weight on her shoulders vanishing in the process. As soon as she was able to keep her emotions in check, she wiped her tears away then levelled with Jellal to give him an earnest kiss on the lips. She broke away to whisper her sincerest thanks to the only man she ever loved.

"Don't thank me. I just did what my conscience told me to do. They were both great people who deserve to be remembered." Jellal replied then he stood up, pulling Erza with him. He closed his eyes then took a deep breath. "Now that we're here, in front of Grandpa Rob and Simon, I feel like it's the perfect time and place to ask you something. I needed their blessings more than any other person in this world. I know I don't deserve your hand in marriage so I don't mind if you are to say no. Although there is one thing I want to ask you which I hope with all my heart and soul you'll answer." By now, Erza is crying again as she realized what exactly is happening. Jellal went down on one knee and looked at his beloved's eyes, fighting his own tears from spilling. "Erza Scarlet, with Grandpa Rob and Simon as my witnesses… will you be my forever?"

Erza cried harder than she thought possible then tackled Jellal to the ground, burrowing her face deep in his chest nodding vigorously. After a few moments, she sat up and straddled him with tears still flowing down her face. She leaned closer to him until her nose is touching his. She gave him a sweet smile before speaking. "Jellal Fernandes, yes, I am honoured to be your forever… and oh, I'll also be your wife if your guilt allows you to marry me." Jellal laughed at her last statement then he put his right hand behind her head and crashed his lips against hers. They let all their passion and love seep into the kiss, which is so far their most meaningful one yet.

After sometime, they settled beside the memorabilia of their friends with Erza safely tucked in between Jellal's legs and arms. She eased her back against his toned chest and leaned her head on his shoulder making their cheeks touch. They revelled in the blissful moment while watching the sunset and talking about their future together. They were the perfect example of two souls who are completely and absolutely contented and happy in each other's arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you again for all the love expressed through reviews, favourites and follows. I really appreciate it! Hope this chapter would get the same treatment as the previous one. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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When darkness enveloped the vast expanse overhead, Jellal noticed the moon slowly taking its rightful throne up in the night sky with millions of stars littering the void around it. The night sky was his inspiration when he was looking for a ring for Erza: A big diamond in the middle, which represents the moon, with little sapphires and rubies, which represent the stars and their hair colours, alternating around the diamond. That perfect engagement ring now sits on the delicate fourth finger of her left hand. He smiled, proud of getting the girl. The presence of such majestic heavenly bodies high above reminded him that it was time to go home. He silently thanked the stars for granting the one wish he's had ever since he was a little boy. It took a really long time to be fulfilled but he waited patiently because he knew she would be worth it in the end. Looking down at his fiancée's sleeping form, he planted a soft kiss on the forehead of his beautiful wish before gently whispering on her ears, "Hey beautiful, it's time to go." A moan escaped her lips and she readjusted her position against his arms but sleep still had a tight hold on her. With a soft chuckle, he shook his head with amusement at the still sleeping redhead. Going back to the Tower of Heaven for the first time after that ill-fated night must be too much for Erza emotionally but it had to be done and he understood. That's precisely why he brought the two of them to the island because he knew that they both needed closure before they can fully embrace the bright future that lies in front of them. At long last, they can forget about the nightmare that is the Tower of Heaven and never look back again. They were truly free. He stroked her cheeks this time and she stirred with the warmth his hand provided and leaned towards it waking her up. She tilted her head up in his direction and gave him a small smile with her eyes still closed. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and tried again, "Hey beautiful, it's time to go." She gave him a pout, not wanting to move from her very comfortable position. "We still have to tell the guild."

Her eyes shot open exposing the excitement etched in those chocolate orbs. "Oh yeah, we still have to break the news." She exclaimed jumping to her own feet.

"Whoa. You gotta slow down, tiger." He teased as she helped him up. "You know the guild isn't going anywhere. We have to say goodbye to Grandpa Rob and Simon first." They each offered a silent prayer for their dearest friends before going back to the docks.

Looking at the Tower of Heaven for the last time before they boarded the boat made them realize deep inside that they wouldn't be returning to this place ever again. The burden they've been carrying for almost their whole lives has left their shoulders. Jellal started rowing across the sea. The ride going to the mainland was full of preliminary plans about their upcoming wedding. By the time they reached the shore, everything was decided. It will be a small ceremony at the back of the guild six months from now with the reception taking place just at the guildhall's main floor. They didn't want to make a big fuss about it because they know that being two of the most well known mages in Fiore, there's bound to be a lot of talks. They don't like the idea of the public making a spectacle out of their intimate moment and the last thing they need is Weekly Sorcer's eventual prying on their private lives. They are contented with just each other and their beloved Fairy Tail, thank you very much. The couple also agreed that they would buy a house together since Jellal can't live in Fairy Hills for obvious reasons and his own house is on the other side of town, which would make it hard for him to keep an eye out on Wendy. Their ideal house should be big enough to hold all of Erza's armors with a big backyard for their future children even though they aren't planning on having any yet until they defeat Tartarus and Zeref. They know it's for the best when war is ready to come knocking at the door anytime. So they agreed to go house hunting whenever they have down time in between their missions. The last thing they want is to sacrifice their responsibilities over petty things such as weddings because they wanted to get married, not throw a grand celebration.

"Ready?" Jellal asked Erza this time, remembering the pain her strong arms has caused on his neck when she was clinging on to dear life that very morning.

"Will it be like earlier?"

"No," he reassured, "it won't be like that because I won't blindfold you this time and you already experienced it once so it won't be as unbearable."

"Okay, I trust you. I'm ready." She affirmed.

He scooped her again in his arms. "Just tell me if you need me to slow down anytime." Seeing her nod, he activated his Meteor once again.

The "ride" was so much better like Jellal said it would be. She replayed in her mind everything that happened that day over and over again. She was so surprised with how things turned out and it made her let go of all her inhibitions. She didn't mind being vulnerable in front of Jellal because he's the only person she has ever trusted completely with her whole being. Even though she hadn't told him anything, he knew. He always knew how to make her feel better and now, he has healed her completely. She doesn't know if she can thank him enough for everything he has done for her. Erza's thoughts shifted back to their engagement, their wedding plans and how married life would be like for them. The feeling was just pure bliss and she was still ecstatic. She can't wait to share this feeling with the rest of her family. Speaking of family, they hadn't agreed yet on how to break it to the guild so when they reached the entrance of Magnolia, she asked him to stop and to put her down.

"What's wrong?" Jellal asked confused. "We haven't reached the guild yet."

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I just don't know how to tell the guild that we're engaged." She confessed. "I thought maybe we can walk back to the guild from here. Shall we?"

Jellal caught sight of her ring sparkling against the moonlight and another wave of happiness swept over his being again. He took her left hand on his right and started leading her back to the guild. On their way, they thought of different strategies on how to break the news. He came up with "divide and conquer" idea wherein he will tell the guys and she will tell the girls but that would be so much work. She suggested telling Master first and he will announce it to everybody else but they weren't even sure if he's back from the guild masters' meeting yet and they don't want to wait. He thought of letting the dragon slayers overhear him and Erza talking about it and let them, Natsu especially, be their usual nosy selves. The news would travel faster than Laxus' lightning that's for sure but it doesn't feel right because it would turn out as gossip in the end. She considered climbing on top of the bar counter and yell for everyone's attention and just announce it casually like she does when she has something important to announce but she knows she will just make a total fool of herself because she'll be blushing like crazy. In the end, when the guild came into view, they ended up unable to decide which strategy to use so they figured that they would just wing it. They would trust their instincts based on the situation at hand.

Before pushing the door open with Jellal behind her, Erza realized the guild was exceptionally noisier than usual, like a party is already happening inside. She stopped on her tracks and then it hit her. Cobra's comments, Kinana's reaction, the knowing glances of her teammates and her guild mates whenever Jellal would talk to her, the whistles and cheering before they left that morning... it can't be. She's not the last to know, is she? In a blink of an eye, she suddenly whipped around facing Jellal, two swords on both hands. He was so shocked by her sudden aggressiveness that he lost his footing and fell on the ground when she launched at him.

"Jellal." Erza growled. "Explain yourself." With that, a magic circle appeared above his head.

Inside the guildhall, a full-blown party was in progress. Natsu's sensitive nose activated and his expression changed, jumping up and down excitedly before announcing, "They're here!" He made his way hurriedly towards the guild doors with everyone else in tow, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. As soon as he kicked the doors open, he greeted, "Congra-" but seeing the dire situation before their very eyes, the whole Fairy Tail guild froze.

No one was prepared for what they witnessed outside. They saw Erza with a very dangerous look on her face straddling the terrified Jellal. A sword in each of her hand pointed directly at his throat with several more blades hovering above his head, every single one aimed at the poor bluenette.

"Did the whole guild know?" Erza's voice laced with venom and acid. They gulped.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for reading everyone! My story just reached 1k views! I know it's not much but I'm glad to know that there are people out there who actually read my stuff. Please continue your support! :)  
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**Disclaimer: My name is not Hiro Mashima. Therefore, I do not own Fairy Tail.**

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"E-Erza! It's not-" Natsu began nervously trying to save his blue haired friend from his imminent beating but was interrupted by the tormentor herself.

"SHUT UP! I WAS NOT ASKING YOU, NATSU!" Erza's merciless eyes never left the tattooed face of her prey while she was scolding the idiot who was dumb enough to answer her question. To avoid any more interruptions, she summoned a hundred more of her blades to act as a wall between the two of them and their guild mates. The thought of being the only person not knowing anything makes her inexplicably mad. "So? Still not gonna talk?" She challenged Jellal.

"I-I w-will but c-can you p-put d-down your w-weapons first? P-Please?" The poor man was near breaking point and the guild felt badly for him because it wasn't his fault that they knew. Sort of.

"No."

Sighing in defeat, Jellal took a deep breath so he can regain his composure and a little bit of his dignity before explaining. "I would have you know that the only person I told was Wendy because I needed another person's opinion of my… plans. Unfortunately for me, I told her right outside the guild doors." He paused to take another deep breath. "As soon as we went in, we found the guild already talking about it and making their own plans. It turns out, Natsu, Gajeel and Cobra heard every single detail and took the liberty of announcing it to everyone who were having their breakfast without my knowledge. You know how fast news travel around here so by the end of the day, I have personally threatened every single one of the mages in the guild to keep their mouths shut. It was only a miracle that they managed to keep it from you." Hiding his eyes under his bangs, he confessed. "Now you know why I didn't really want to talk about how to break the news to them. I didn't want to raise any suspicion when you insisted we talk about it at the gates." He closed his eyes when he was done with his story bracing himself for any pain coming his way.

After a while, he opened his eyes. Erza's weapons are now gone, her expression was back to normal and she has her hand out to help him up. He let out the air in his lungs. He forgot to breathe when he closed his eyes earlier. _Phew. So that's what it feels like to dodge a bullet._

Erza's face is now unreadable and she hasn't said anything. Seeing he has completely stood up, she turned to face her guild mates but after one step, she stopped. Jellal was surprised to see Erza's face in front of his again then the next thing he knows, his back was flat against the ground again holding his sore jaw. Erza has punched him.

"That's for being stupid enough to forget how good dragon slayer senses are. And that we have four of them in here." She admonished. "But I must say, you're getting better at lying. I don't like it." Jellal let out a weak laugh. Of course, how could he even for a moment think that he was let off the hook that easily?

Gajeel, Natsu and Cobra, fueled by their guilt, ran to help Jellal stand up but they stopped when they met Erza on the way. "I'll deal with you nosy dumbasses later." She said as she passed them on her way to the ladies. As soon as she was out of kicking range, they continued on their way to Jellal.

"Yo man, you okay?" Gajeel asked.

"Listen, we're sorry if you had to suffer because of us." Cobra said with a straight face.

Jellal looked at the three as if they all had sprouted an extra head each. "No, you're not." He added.

Natsu smiled widely baring his fangs and replied, "Yeah, we're really not." All four of them were laughing as they went inside the guildhall.

The four passed by the table closest to the doors where all the girls are closely huddled around the blushing Erza as they ask all kinds of questions about the details of the proposal and admiring her gorgeous ring. Squeals and giggles dominated their conversation. Jellal caught Erza's eye when they were walking and winked at her, making her face turn into a deeper shade of red. _She's so cute._ Seeing all the girls, he noticed the absence of a certain little bluenette and it made him frown. "Where's Wendy?" He asked no one in particular but everybody stopped to look at him.

"Oh, she went on a job with Romeo. They'll be back tomorrow." It was Meredy who spoke.

"On a job? With Romeo? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Which idiot allowed her to go?" All heads turned to look at Mirajane who has a bright smile painted across her face until that instant. She started crying, hurt for being called an idiot. Jellal's sweat dropped and guilt consumed him. "Ahh… I-I didn't mean to. Mira, don't cry. Carla is with them, right? So she should be fine."

After Jellal consoled Mira and made sure that she's back to her jolly self for the tenth time, all the guys started their way to the other side of the room. Jellal scanned the boys' faces and found it amusing that their excitement are exactly like the girls', although their eyes are still intact and are not replaced by hearts. Even though they won't admit it, they are all hopeless romantics just like the women of Fairy Tail. Of course, that was an unspoken understanding between them and no one has to know. As soon as they settled down, he was greeted with light punches, tackles and pats on the back. When he finished recounting the events of the day, Master cleared his throat. Automatically, the whole guild fell silent and looked up. He was standing at the ledge of the guild's second floor.

"Today is truly an important event not only for two people but for our whole family." Master's face was red and it's evident that he was trying his best not to cry. Then he looked at the couple before continuing. "Jellal and Erza, congratulations!" He raised his mug for a toast and the whole guild echoed his gesture and last word. "I can't believe my children are growing up too fast! Soon, kids will be running around this very hall... LET'S PARTY!" Unable to contain his emotions anymore, he started crying hard.

"YEAAAAAAH!" The whole guild was once again in a happy drunken chaos complete with miniature fireworks going off in all directions courtesy of Reedus. The three dragon slayers started their chicken wing eating contest with Meredy as the referee. Elfman challenged Laxus to an arm wrestling match while the Raijinshuu cheer on. Juvia threw herself onto Gray, asking his hand in marriage. Cana, Wakaba and Macao are all sitting atop their own barrels of alcohol, holding tubes that act as huge straws. Vijeteer was dancing on the table where Max, Laki and Warren are situated on. Alzack and Bisca were watching Asuka play with Happy and Lily. Lucy and Levy were immersed into their own corner, possibly talking about a new novel. Jellal was comforting Master who was still crying his eyes out. Kinana and Lisanna are manning the very busy bar.

As everybody go on their merry way around the guild, Erza heard Mirajane call her to the bar gesturing to the seat beside her. She walked up to her and settled on the seat the barmaid was pointing at earlier. "Mira, what is it?"

Mirajane pushed a piece of strawberry cake in front of Erza before taking out the light pen **(A/N: a magic item that allows a person to write in air)** in her pocket. "Say Erza, do you and Jellal have plans for the wedding already?"

"Yeah, we decided that there would be a small ceremony at the back of the guild six months from now and-"

"No, that won't do!" Mirajane exclaimed with a determined face.

"But-"

"You are both Fairy Tail mages! You know very well that we only go big."

"I know-"

"Even Alzack and Bisca had a grand wedding despite not having enough funds seven years ago!"

"Don't-"

"I won't have any of your excuses, Erza! This is the Master's order." Mira's last statement effectively shut the requip mage up. She knows that Erza respects Master Makarov so much and knows better than to go against the old man's wishes. "Now, all you need to do is listen because we already planned the whole thing out." She smiled kindly to the soon-to-be bride while uncapping her light pen. It's very hard to hate on the she-devil when she has that smile on.

Between listening to Mira and looking at the lists and diagrams written in air in front of them, Erza had to call Jellal over for moral support. What the guild has planned is the very opposite of what the engaged couple had in mind. The whole plan was just plain crazy and she refuses to go through all those nonsense. But knowing her guild, even as the bride, she doesn't have any choice. She knows how persuasive they can get. Even though she's Erza Scarlet, the mighty Titania who defeated 100 monsters on her own, she doesn't stand a chance against the whole guild. Her head hit the table in defeat. _It's gonna be hell for the next three months._


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't been around for two weeks. Real life got in the way but I hope you'll forgive me because I wrote a long chapter! (For my standards, at least.) Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites! Please continue your support! I would love to receive feedback so I would know how I'm doing so I can improve and give you guys better stories. :) Thank you!**

**Reminder: Italics are thoughts.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Sadly.**

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Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

Erza Scarlet grabbed the alarm clock from her nightstand and with a swift flick of her wrist threw it against the wall.

"Er~… Hmpf, now I have to get you another one!" A white haired girl's head popped in the room at the same time the poor alarm clock smashed against the wall, missing the beautiful girl's smiling face by a few inches. However, Mirajane was unfazed by the gesture and her bright smile never left her face. She knew that one of these days, Titania is gonna snap and judging from the now broken alarm clock, today is that day. Mirajane let out a sigh as she opened the bedroom door as far as it would go. She was about to pull something out from the pocket of her dress when she heard two really loud, arguing voices out in the hallway.

"Give me just a minute! Then we'll go!"

"No! We have to be at the tailor early and stick to the schedule. Mira's gonna kill me! Plus this is Fairy Hills! We're not allowed here."

"Dude. ONE minute. And that was seven years ago, a lot has happened since then."

Before Mira could even open her mouth to speak, a blur of red in pajamas ran past her towards the apartment door. It seems like somebody has developed dragon slayer hearing concerning her fiancé's voice in the past month or so. _Erza must really miss Jellal by now but it has to be this way so they could have a wonderful honeymoon. _Mira thought, proud of herself. She watched as Erza left a path of destruction behind her in her haste and smiled as the redhead took out the frustration building up inside her on the door, yanking it out of its hinges, revealing the two arguing males outside. Before either man could react, Erza threw her arms around Jellal's neck and buried her face in his chest. Jellal blinked away his astonishment before easing his arms around her waist.

"Good morning, beautiful. How are you?" He asked while nuzzling his cheek against her scarlet hair.

"I missed you." Came the muffled reply deep within his chest. Then Erza lifted her head to look directly into his warm emerald eyes. "Can we spend the day together? Please?"

Seeing Erza make puppy eyes melted Jellal's heart in an instant. Only he can turn the fierce lioness into a tamed, innocent puppy. He was proud of that. Of course, he was gonna say yes but before he could answer her, a sweet voice behind Erza interrupted him. "Okay, love birds, the boys have to go to their initial tux fitting. You know better than pissing off old man Teuchi. Laxus, you should go and take Jellal now." **(A/N: Teuchi is the tailor who's got very little patience and likes to take out his anger by poking them with pins in different places)**

"But-" As expected, Erza was the first one to protest requipping quickly into her Lightning Empress Armor. Her pleading expression gone, replaced by the intimidating one she usually has when threatening people. "Take one step, Laxus and I swear, you won't like how you're gonna end up even for a bit."

Erza barely spent any time with Jellal since their engagement party and it's making her cranky. It's been a month and a half and she wants nothing more than to spend the whole day with just the two of them, uninterrupted. _Enough is enough._ Erza angrily told herself, it's time to take things into her own hands. Mira's very elaborate plan consisted of them doing a lot of wedding preparations every single day. From venue picking, entourage line up, wedding theme, guest list, food tasting, honeymoon destination… down to the flower arrangement. Mira's got every single detail in check. It seems like she already started planning back when the couple first got together after the events with Tartarus. To make things worse, for Erza and Jellal, they have to attend to different stuff all the time making them too busy to even see each other and that made everything extra frustrating. Not to mention that there are posters of their wedding everywhere! Like it was a royal wedding of some sort. Sure, they are both famous being powerful mages but she doesn't understand the need to broadcast it to the whole land. _What happened to the small and intimate wedding I wanted?_ Now, the whole Fiore is invited. Just then, Erza felt her magic power draining. Her armor disappeared and looking at her body, she noticed she's back in her pajamas. She also noticed two cuffs around both her wrists. _Magic cuffs? _"Mira!"

The girl gave a timid chuckle before replying. "Oh come on, Erza, we've known each other for so long! You should've expected this like how I expected you would start flipping out sooner than later."

"That's not what I meant." Erza said, a vein on her forehead popping. "Where did you get these?"

"Oh. The Magic Council, of course! Doranbolt and Yajima-sama knows your violent tendencies as well so they lent them to me as soon as I asked." Mira answered sweetly as always but if one would listen closely, you can practically hear the evilness in her subconscious. It's the reason why Demon Mirajane is scary. "So, they will be your new best friends until the wedding!" Turning to the duo of blue and blonde, she added, "You're both still here?"

Laxus ran as fast as he can, not wanting to invoke the wrath of his girlfriend. He didn't want to think about his 'punishment' because instead of getting a punch or kick or slap, it's more of not getting something he enjoys very much. She know he doesn't like to be... deprived. She really is a sly devil.

Jellal lingered for a while to say goodbye to Erza, which Mirajane allowed. He stroked her cheeks and told her softly, "Hey, another month and a half, then everything will be okay." She nodded weakly. "I'll see you later at the guild." He kissed her forehead before going after Laxus. She watched him disappear down the stairs before turning back to the she-devil she hates and loves at the same time.

"Alright! Today's agenda…" Mirajane excitedly exclaimed clapping her hands together. Erza slumped her shoulders dejectedly as she went inside her apartment. She's feeling worse than ever.

After the day's activities, Erza was sitting at the bar eating strawberry cake while waiting for Jellal. She thought that maybe strawberry cake would lighten up her mood. So far, though, there's no luck yet. Apparently, Mira asked the guys to go to Hargeon after their fitting to pick up the shipment of the finest alcoholic drinks the guild ordered for the wedding. According to Mirajane, she needed all the guys to go because it really was a whole ship filled with booze. The only highlight on the requip mage's day, aside from seeing Jellal, of course, is when Mira gave her the honors of tying up Cana, Macao and Wakaba in different poles in the guild so they won't attack any of the barrels on sight. When Erza took the last bite of her tenth slice, the guild doors flew open rather brutally, making those close to the doors jump in surprise.

"ERZAAAAAAAAA!" Natsu thundered. "I heard you were in magic cuffs! FIGHT ME!"

She watched Natsu fly at her, his fists blazing. Erza still has super fast reflexes but other than that, the damned bracelets are suppressing everything else. She was about to jump out of the way when a golden blur appeared in front of her. Next thing she saw was Jellal blocking Natsu's fists with ease, his fire disappearing upon contact. He had a malicious glint in his eyes just like he did when he was still possessed by Ultear back in the Tower. "Attacking my girl, are we?" He put two fingers, his pointer and middle one together, on Natsu's chest. "Not under my watch… or at least do it when she doesn't have magic cuffs on. Play nice." With that, a golden light exploded from Jellal's fingers that were on Natsu's chest and the dragon slayer was thrown back against the opposite wall, instantly knocking him out. Those who were watching laughed at the recent spectacle while the boys who were hauling wagons and wagons of alcohol were shaking their heads at Natsu's apparent stupidity.

"Jellal!" He turned around, all malice wiped off his handsome face when he heard Erza's dangerous voice. "Who told you to do that?"

"Erza! I didn't do any damage! I just knocked him out, I swear. I only used two fingers." Jellal started defensively.

"No." She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Who told you to defend me? I am still very capable, thank you very much."

"Oh…" Jellal sighed in defeat. Everyone knew she was no match against Natsu without her magic. Those magic cuffs are rune knight-grade, the best of its kind. He, himself have first-hand experience of how much they limit a mage's capabilities to virtually nothing but knowing Erza, her pride won't let her acknowledge that. "Sorry…" He muttered, looking down at the floor instead of arguing.

The guild resumed what they were doing before the commotion. Erza went back to eating strawberry cakes beside Lucy who is cradling the still-knocked-out Natsu. Wendy asked Lucy if she wants her to heal Natsu so she doesn't have to take care of him. Lucy started turning red and politely declined Wendy's offer, giving a lame excuse that it's better if he's out for now so he won't piss off any more people. Happy knew that it wasn't the real reason but he opted to keep quiet for now as everyone's like ticking time bombs tonight. He'll be sure to remember this incident though, for future reference. Mirajane began directing the boys to the cellar to store the alcohol. Laki was watching over Macao to make sure he doesn't escape while Ever is doing the same to Wakaba and Kinana to Cana. Once everybody has settled on tables, a pigeon flew inside the guild. All of Team Crime Sorciere's heads snapped up in recognition. It was their signature mean of communication when hunting Dark Guilds, as per Ultear's suggestion. It landed on Jellal's head and began nibbing on his head to get his attention. Cobra and Meredy both came to the table where Jellal, Wendy and Carla already are.

"If we're all here, who sent it?" Meredy inquired.

Jellal removed the piece of paper on its leg and unfolded the paper. All of a sudden, a figure appeared. It was an old woman, short and wrinkly with grey hair tied up on a bun with a warm smile and very familiar eyes. **(A/N: Imagine the letter Mirajane sent to Makarov at the start of the series. It's the same concept.)** Gray gasped and he sprinted to the spot beside Jellal to get a closer look and to make sure his eyes weren't playing nasty tricks on him, with Juvia following him closely. The figure started to speak.

"Jellal…" The old lady croaked. "The whole kingdom is talking about your upcoming wedding and I must say, I'm very proud of you! You finally manned up!" Meredy and Jellal looked at each other, their eyes saying what they couldn't.

"Ultear…" It was Gray who confirmed both of their suspicion. Jellal's jaw dropped, looking once again at the hologram of the old woman in front of him, then recognition set in. It really is her! Their Ultear. At that point, Meredy burst into tears. Juvia was quick to put her arms around the pink haired mage and comfort her.

"I guess the seven years of berating you for being such a wuss finally paid off." Grandma Ultear continued. "Before anything else though, I have to apologize to you and to Meredy for disappearing on you both after the Grand Magic Games but I couldn't deal with my failure at that time and I didn't want any of you to see me as I am right now. I used my Arc of Time and cast a taboo spell so I can reverse time and save those who otherwise would've died."

Gray clenched his fist and hit the table, although he didn't break it. By this time, everyone present in the guildhall was huddled around the table where Team Natsu and Team Crime Sorciere were sitting at, even Natsu is awake. "I was only able to bring back only one minute. It was hard to believe that it was all my life is ever worth. Then again, it was a taboo spell and I used it without mastering it. That was a mistake on my part. In the end, the spell used my own life force to compensate for the time that was being reversed that's why I have aged greatly. After wandering for a while, I discovered that despite my aged physical appearance, my magic was still intact. It was then I decided to continue my research about Arc of Time. I knew deep inside that I would need it again. After almost a year of research, I finally did it! Now, all I needed to do was wait for the right opportunity to use it. Then news of your engagement to Erza started spreading like wildfire throughout Fiore. Looking at a poster of you and Erza, I got my answer. I knew that my redemption rests on my biggest sin. That was you, Jellal. I possessed you since you were just eleven years old and I continued to do so for the next eight years after that. I made you manipulate others, lie, cheat, sever your ties with the people important to you and even kill. For six years, being part of Crime Sorciere was in a way agonizing for me. I had to watch you succumb to loneliness with every passing day Erza was gone. I robbed you of the happiness you so rightly deserved. I took away 15 years of being with her and with my perfected Time of Arc, it would be possible."

A small lacrima appeared in front of Jellal and hovered in front of him. "Touch this lacrima, Jellal. It would give you back some years of happiness." Jellal looked at Erza then to the rest of the guild, eyes asking for answers. "Do it, Jelly! I knew you would be stubborn as hell." Grandma Ultear scolded him. "Or do you want to waste my life away?"

Unsure, Jellal warily stretched out his hand to the lacrima. He let his fingers brush the ball but nothing happened. More confident as before, he went ahead and grabbed the lacrima. After a few seconds, he felt intense pain shooting in all parts of his body simultaneously. He fell to the floor and continued writhing in agony. Erza worriedly kneeled beside Jellal and put his head to her lap, silent tears making their way out to the corners of her eyes. She doesn't understand what's happening. Nobody does. _Is this a trap?_

"Erza," the requip mage looked up to where the voice came from. "I know you'll be worried but remember when I activated everyone's second origin before the Grand Magic Games? Jellal's pain will be similar to that or a little bit more painful, but you don't have to worry. You actually have to thank me to my grave for this. Oh yeah, speaking of, when I said I perfected my Arc of Time, I wasn't referring to me not aging again when I use it. That aspect is absolute. It's the law of nature and balance has to exist. If you wanna bring back time, another time must be given up. My time in exchange for Jellal's. I have mastered it in a way that I can turn back time for however long as I can, given that I'm willing to give up the equivalent from my own time. With my age, I can only reverse the time until five years. I hope that's enough, a two year age gap isn't as bad as seven, right?" Ultear joked.

Hearing those words, Erza cried harder. They were perfectly fine with the seven year age gap, Ultear didn't have to do this.

"Meredy…" Grandma Ultear called out to her adopted daughter. "You were the light of my life. I'm really glad to have met you. You gave me hope, that I can still right the sins I have committed. I know Jelly and Erza would be guilty over my decision but you know me well enough to know that if I didn't do this, my soul will never be at peace and I won't truly be free. I'm entrusting you the job to convince them that I'm doing this not only for them but for myself as well. I don't have much time left but I want you to know that I love you very much. I am so proud of having a daughter like you even if I didn't give birth to you. Use your magic only for the light and help those who are straying over to the darkness and lead them back. I know that Fairy Tail would fill the void I left in your heart so I'm not worrying about you in the slightest. You and Jelly, take care of each other. I love you both." Ultear seemed like she was in a hurry. As soon as she said her final words, the magic broke. The paper and the lacrima slowly turned into dust.

The whole guild was quiet except for the cries of three people. One of despair, the other of guilt, the last one of pain.


End file.
